Luttrelstown Castle Must Not be Turned into Concrete Jungle
Issued : Thursday 16 April, 2009
It was reported in the Sunday Business Post (pg. 5) of 12th April 2009 that ‘The owners of Luttrelstown Castle plan to develop the 560-acre estate when they close the Dublin resort's championship golf course at the end of this year.' According to the article, ‘new company filings show that the directors of Luttrelstown Castle, the operating company behind the estate, plan to "ultimately realise the land development value of Luttrelstown Castle Resort", which they valued at €32.5m.'
Reacting to the report, Cllr. Peggy Hamill said "This is a very worrying development. While there is no indication yet as to what exactly the JP McManus, John Magnier and co. have in mind, the indications are ominous."
"It would be a great tragedy for Dublin 15 if the fate of the Luttrelstown estate was to be turned into a vast housing estate when the property market picks up again. With the nearby lands in Kellystown having been recently rezoned for residential use, the creeping tide of suburban sprawl threatens to overwhelm the area. This can't be allowed to happen."
"During my time on Fingal County Council I have prioritised the protection of Dublin 15's diminishing green belt. In the past, we have seen sub-standard, developer-led planning lead to vast swathes of Dublin 15 being turned into a concrete jungle with only minimal amounts of green space."
"This is not the way to build sustainable communities. We need community centred planning with provision for open space and amenities as well as housing and commercial space."
"Much of the Luttrelstown estate lies in the Liffey Valley which has long been protected from large-scale development. I would strenuously oppose any moves to alter this precedent."
"If re-elected to the Council this year, I will continue to fight to protect our community's remaining green areas from thoughtless development."
"Some local politicians have called for the Luttrelstown estate or Fingal County Council to purchase the estate, but personally I can think of far better ways to use €32m to develop the local area. Of course, I would love to see the estate opened as an amenity for local people, but with funding now at a premium, capital investment of this scale must prioritize labour intensive projects."
"With the golf course set to close and parts of the estate likely to lie idle for some time, I would like to see opportunities explored with the estate's owners for allowing limited public access, even if an outright purchase would be out of the question."
Cllr 
